A couple days ago I blogged about Dine out Vancouver starting their festival Friday and completely forgot about White Rock's very own food festival "Taste White Rock" formerly known as "Bite of the Rock".

It's another great opportunity for people living south of the Fraser River in the Valley, instead of heading to Vancouver they can try some of the fabulous restaurants in White Rock. The festival starts tomorrow January 20th and runs through February 13th, there will be select White Rock restuarants offering 3 course meals for $25 or $35. Many of which are also offering entertainment.

This is the 9th annual Taste White Rock and promises to be an excellent opportunity to try a new restaurant or an old favourite for very reasonable prices. 

A couple of our families favourite White Rock restaurants that are participating are "Cielo's" if you're looking for Tapas. Great for sharing and enjoying a few different items on the menu. Then there's "Five Doors Down" which is literally five doors down from Cielo's and used to be, not sure if it still is owned by the same owners. But they offer delicious meals as well. 

For details on participating restaurants and their menus visit Taste White Rock

Dine Out Vancouver 2015 starts today January 16th and runs until February 1st. 

Dine Out Vancouver boasts 17 days of culinary excitement with delicious meals at fabulous restaurants for great prices!!!
The catch is that you must make your reservations sooner rather than later. 

My husband and I are really big foodies, every year we say we are going to finally try out a new restaurant that takes part in Dine Out Vancouver and before we know the festival is over and we missed out or we waited too long to make reservations and they were all booked up. The last couple years we actually made out to a few restaurants and were very impressed with our choices. One was the Italian Cultural Centre and another Kerkis Greek Taverna in Kistilano on 4th avenue. It doesn't look like Kerkis is participating again but quite a few of our other favourites are- Poor Italian Restaurant, Black + Blue, Francesco's Ristorante Italia, Five Sails. For more casual affair we love Dunn's Famous Restaurant's Montreal Smoked Meat sandwiches an dany of the Hapa Izakaya locations.

Not only are there great deals at many of your favourite restaurants but many hotels are offering special pricing during this time too.

For more details on the participating restaurants and hotels visit the following link:

Dine Out Vancouver 2015

"Staging" your home is all about making the space in your home as appealing as possible to buyers. You may already know the basics, such as eliminating clutter. Here are some other tips that are less well known yet very effective:

• Chandeliers. Surprisingly, these are one of the simplest ways to make a foyer, dining room or living room dramatically more eye- catching. You can buy a good-looking chandelier for a few hundred dollars.

• New linen. This is something many home sellers don't consider, but should. Replace any worn linen – sheets, coverings, towels, and even oven mitts with new ones. Believe it or not, new linen makes a big impression on buyers.

• Pedestal sinks. It may not be practical for you to replace a bathroom sink. However, if you are doing a renovation, keep in mind that pedestal sinks – especially in small washrooms – are a big hit with buyers.

• New appliances. A brand new fridge, stove and dishwasher are motivating selling features to buyers. That's because new appliances make the whole kitchen look brand new.

• Avoid multi-use rooms. Have a spare bedroom that doubles as a home office? That's a turnoff to buyers. Whenever possible, stage each room so that it has a singular purpose. A guest bedroom, for example, should be only that.

  Want more tips on how to stage your home so that it attracts buyers? Call today. 

Every year it seems like many communites are having evening parades to be able to show off all the pretty lights. This year is no exception, whether during the day or at night though there's nothing like the excitement of seeing Santa at the end of the Parade. 

The Magic of Christmas Parade and Country Christmas in Langley City is Saturday December 6th from 6-8pm and starts on Fraser Hwy between 203rd and 207th and finishes off at the Douglas Recreation Centre where they will have a tree lighting ceremony with lots of fun for the whole family.


As well, who doesn't love listening to Christmas music and even better when its done the old fashioned way with carollers. Five nights ithis month, McBurney Plaza will come alive with the sounds of Christmas. In Partnership with 4 local churches, the City of Langley will be hosting carolers on December 5, 12, 13, 18 & 19th. For more information: events@langleycity.ca or call 604-514-2940

Having started my family in Ontario, every year in November since our daughter was 1 year old we would make our way into downtown Toronto for the Santa Claus Parade. Now our girls are teenagers and the twinkle in Santa's eye just doesn't do it for them anymore....I miss seeing all the little ones and the excitement in their eyes. 

This Sunday December 7th, Surrey's Santa Parade of Lights starts at 5pm and runs through downtown Cloverdale.The parade route starts at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds parking lot at 60 Avenue and will make its way to 176th Street, heading east on 60th Avenue to 177B Street, then south on 177B Street, right at 58th Avenue, and then west to 176th Street. From there, the parade turns left and heads south to Highway 10. At the end of the Parade they will have a tree lighting ceremony to cap off the evenings events.

Vancouver also hosts the Rogers Santa Claus Parade in the afternoon on Sunday December 7th starting at 1pm.

For the parade route visit the following link:

Vancouver Santa Claus Parade

If you are planning on taking your little ones, be sure to dress warm and head down early to get them a comfy spot where they won't miss out on anything!

Fingers crossed the rain holds off, so far the forecast is not calling for any rain.

The Bank of Canada once again held it's target overnight rate at 1%. This is the longest the rate has held at this point since the 1950's. Economists are forecasting the rate to slightly increase towards the end of next year by 25 basis points. But this forecast essentially helps to keep mortgage rates low until later in the year next year. Making it a perfect time to get into the market or make a new purchase. 

I expect 2015 to be another good year for people looking to buy or sell a home. It will be interesting to see if this holds true.

This morning our boards stats came out, along with a news release that supports what we have been telling our clients over the last few weeks. We have been working with a number of buyers throughout Cloverdale, South Surrey/White Rock and Langley and the inventory in each community is quite low. Which seems to be the case in other communities as well. The lack of inventory makes things harder for our Buyers when they are looking for a new home. If there's a well priced property that has a lot to offer, it is gone before we can even get our clients in. We have had to explain to clients, if there's any interest they need to get out to see the home right away and then not take too long thinking about it. If they do, they will likely miss out on it.

All this bodes well for Sellers, so when our clients ask if this is the right time to sell their home, I always let them know in my opinion it is. The Buyers out there shopping right now are serious Buyers and the likelyhood of sellers getting their asking price is greater when there is less for Buyers to choose from.

If you thinking of making a move, why not consider putting your home on the market now adn give us a call today!

2014 trend towards increased sales and steady pricing continues into November

December, 02 2014 11:04:13 am, by FVREB 
Categories: Statistics

SURREY, BC – The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board processed 1,136 sales on its Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) in November, an increase of 15 per cent compared to the 986 sales during the same month last year and 22 per cent lower than the 1,448 sales processed in October. 

New listings in the Fraser Valley decreased by 2 per cent in November, going from 1,774 last year to 1,748 last month taking the number of active listings to 8,302, a decrease of 4 per cent compared to the 8,641 active listings in November of 2013. 

“This is the time of year when families are settling in for winter and the holidays, so we expect to see a decrease in activity,” explains the Board’s president, REALTOR® Ray Werger. “After a busy fall with volumes reaching 5-year highs, we’re winding down the year with sales on par with the ten-year average, but about 8 per cent fewer new listings therefore home buyers will notice a shortage of inventory in certain price ranges.” 

Pricing continues along the same trends as seen for most of 2014, with single family detached prices continuing to rise; townhouse prices remaining steady, and apartment prices decreasing. The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) benchmark price of a detached home in November was $575,400 an increase of 4.6 per cent compared to November 2013, when it was $550,300. 

The MLS® HPI benchmark price of townhouses increased 2.2 per cent from $292,400 in November 2013 to $298,900 last month. The benchmark price of apartments decreased year-over-year by 3.5 per cent, going from $196,200 in November of last year to $189,400 in November 2014. 

“Prices are a function of supply and demand - which your REALTOR® will explain varies considerably from area to area and within the different property types - as well as local amenities, transportation options and future community development, underscoring the importance of expert guidance when you’re looking to list or buy,” says Werger. 

“Overall, 2014 is shaping up to be a good year for Fraser Valley real estate,” continues Werger. “We hit a bit of a trough during the summer of last year, but since then sales have recovered and we’re tracking towards a 15 per cent increase in year-to-date sales for 2014 compared to 2013 with prices remaining relatively stable.”

I wanted to share my many experiences with Apple this year, because of how impressed I was and continue to be by their exceptional service....So much so I have convinced my husband we are putting some of our investments into buying Apple shares.

Yes, I have drank the koolaid (maybe not as much as my husband...who's a former Blackberry user, who swore by them and now absolutely HAD to have the new iPhone 6 when it came out even though his 5S was still in perfect condition) But after my many experiences this year I really do think their koolaid is worth every last drop!

I did need a new phone. This summer my iPhone 4 was on its last legs...apps crashing, freezing, very little battery life...driving me crazy! My husband was also having trouble with his iPhone 5S so we booked an appointment for both of us to take our phones in to the Guildford Town Centre location.

Everytime you enter an Apple store you are always pleasantly greeted, the place is always packed....but still you manage to get amazing service. Once there I was also having trouble with my contacts, somehow I had lost a whole bunch of contacts. After they did a diagnostic and found all the issues on my phone they spent an hour or more with me to help resolve my issue. I no longer had a warranty and even the warranty I did have was crap. I will only ever puchase Apple Care for all of my Apple products going forward. The best part was that they gave me all that time and I had no warranty for them to have to give me the time and still they did. They helped to resolve my issues a couple times as best they could.

I previously spent $169 with Rogers back in 2012 for a 2 year warranty that I thought for sure would cover my phone (I had cracked my screen twice before and figured the cost was worth it) Only to find out when I needed it... if I wanted to send them my phone and be without a phone or better yet they would charge my credit card approximately $1000 and then there was no guarantee what kind of phone I would be getting in its place. Once I received the phone and returned my old one, then they would return the majority of what my card was debited but not before keeping what I was told was a standard deductible which would have been just under $200. In the end this so called warranty would have cost me close to $400, when I purchased it I was told that they would repair or replace no questions asked to a maximum of 3 times. 

Needless to say my husband convinced me to hang on to my phone until the new one came out this fall. I love it, first time I got a new phone when it was released. I even sat up until midnight just to book my phone because they only had so many to release each day. Thankfully I purchased the Apple Care because I once again smashed my screen. My last phone I managed not to crack the screen at all and then this one is only a couple months old and after numerous drops it cracked. I know I deserve it. My family just loves it because all four of us have an iPhone and I am the only one to crack my screen. 

The only complaint I have is that there are very few cases to choose from, I really wanted one that is like a book style. Found one but every time it falls it opens up and lands flat on the screen. Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend these cases unless they have a strap that keeps them closed. That or just be sure you never drop your phone....Good luck!

This time because I had purchased Apple Care I booked my appointment and I was in and out in less than a half hour with a brand new phone. I still had to pay a deductible of $79 but no charging my card a fortune and no giving me a lesser model. They gave me the choice I could either have the phone fixed or they could replace it. The cost was the same. I figured might as well get a new one. The service was once again amazing. The Apple rep that took care of me was explaining how much he loved his job. Which is something that seems to come across with all the staff everytime I have ever been in the store. 

I forgot to mention, another nice thing when I got my new phone. I was able to trade in my old phone and they gave me a credit for $125. 

I wanted to share my experience with everyone because each time I am amazed at how positive an experience I have had. So all those nay sayers out there, or die hard Blackberry or android users .....do you get the same kind of support?

Imagine you're viewing a potential new home. You walk in the front door and are instantly impressed. You explore the property room by room and like what you see.

Then there's something you notice that's not quite right. An odour. You realize that it's likely cat dander and, now that you've identified it, you smell it everywhere. Suddenly the home doesn't seem as attractive as it did just moments earlier.

The owner of the property is probably so used to the smell that he doesn't even notice it. Neither does anyone else in the household.

So, when marketing your home for sale, be scent sensitive. Think about the odours that you may have become used to but others are likely to notice. Even odours you think are pleasant, like the strong scent given off by some house plants, may not be pleasing to everyone.

An odour can easily distract a buyer from appreciating the good qualities of your property. Pay particular attention to garbage bins (which can smell even when empty), pets, kitty litter (even when fresh and unused), the kitchen (especially after cooking), perfumes, and closets.

The smell of cigarette smoke is particularly unpleasant to many people. Its odour can linger even on an outside deck or patio.

Bottom line? Don't assume buyers won't notice certain smells. They will.

Looking for more advice on selling your home quickly and for the best price? Call today. 

When some people think about selling their home, they imagine all the things they will have to do: paint the kitchen, clean closets, prepare for viewings, find another home, arrange financing, start packing, etc. It can all seem very overwhelming very quickly.

In fact, the long to-do list you imagine you’ll have to deal with may dissuade you from making a move!

It doesn't have to be that way.

There are many ways to make selling your home and buying another relatively simple and easy.

Sure, there will be some work to do. You may need to prepare your property so that it looks appealing to potential buyers – cleaning, decluttering, doing some repairs, etc. Of course, you will also need to view some properties for sale in order to find your next dream home.

But those activities may not be as time-consuming or difficult as you had imagined. In fact, you and your family might actually enjoy the experience – and see it as an adventure.

The trick is to work with the right REALTOR®, someone who can guide you through the process, show you the shortcuts, and generally make things easier for you.

It's a little like baking your first cake from scratch. The task seems daunting, unless you have a master baker by your side to guide you step-by-step through the process. Then it's a lot easier, and even fun!

That's what a good REALTOR® can do for you. Looking for one? Give us a call today. 

I was reading an article on Zite yesterday on How to make Hard Boiled Eggs without boiling them. I love a good egg salad sandwich, but my eldest hates the smell. Well here is a way to make them. I tried cooking them right on the rack but I happened to have a smaller one and probably should have taken it out sooner as it cracked apart just before the time was up. After looking into it more, there seems to be a lot of posts on Pinterest and many show them resting in a muffin tin. I will try them that way next time to avoid the mess. I still haven't actually eaten them yet, but they are supposed to make the perfect hard egg and should be creamier than if you boiled them. 

I am looking forward to tasting my little experiment to see if the rumours are true. :) The reason I like this idea is that I always forget to watch for when the water boils to make sure I don't over cook them and inevitably get busy doing something else and sure enough have no idea how long it was boiling before I notice. Nothing like a grey egg....YUCK!

Heat oven to 325 degrees and then place eggs on the rack directly or in a muffin tin for 30 minutes. Then remove and place in cold water to halt the cooking process. 

Let us know if your eggs turned out and whether you like them this way or not.

If you like chicken wings, then you will love "Wild Wing" located here in Langley. Ever since we moved here 9 years ago we have been looking for a good wing place and tried a few over the years. Only to be disappointed every time. 

Back in September my husband and I were spending a couple days in Whistler and just happened upon the Wild Wing location in the Upper Village at the bottom of Blackcomb while we were strolling through the village. We were so excited when we realized it was the same restaurant we missed from back in Ontario. Even though we were trying to decide on where to eat a nice formal meal and had planned on Hy's or somewhere similar....we couldn't pass up Wild Wing and we weren't disappointed this time at all.

Then just by fluke a week later as we were running errands in Langley we noticed a sign for Wild Wing coming soon in behind the Earls on the corner of 200th Street and 64th avenue where the old De Dutch restaurant used to be. Even though wings are a once in a while treat, not something to make as part of a healthy diet.....but you have to treat yourself once in a while and might as well be Wild Wing. 

I wasn't feeling like cooking this past Saturday night and we figured we would see if there was any chance they were open....sure enough they opened up the week before. We were so excited. :)

Wild Wing offers over a 100 flavours from breaded (what they call Traditional) to naked and even boneless. Something for everyone. Then if you like them dry dusted with seasoning or coated in a delicious sauce you have so many to choose from. Our favourite is the Spicy Gar Par under Wet "N" Wild but done with Medium spice. But anything done with Gar Par is pretty much a good choice in my books. 

Here's a list of the many different flavours...sorry not the best photo. Visit their website for a better look: Wild Wing